The Romanians explain in BD that “petrification” of the skin and eyes of vampires can occur if they remain still and wrap themselves in their own thoughts for very long periods of time. That effect can be seen not only on the wives but their husbands as well, so staying in the tower isn’t something that just the wives do. I see the husbands as leaving the tower more often, but not frequently, maybe once every several decades. None of them have any need to hunt, they have their food brought to them, so there isn’t much reason for them to do much of anything, if they don’t want to. I tend to take that as a subtle metaphor for moral decay, but that is another discussion.

I think that once the petrification settles in, it also makes it much harder for them to intermingle with humans, as their skin appears unusual even when they are not directly in the sun. They probably view staying in the tower as just being more prudent, and eventually settle into the habit so firmly that most vampires cannot recall a time when they ever left the tower.

"It will take an amazing amount of control,” she mused. “More even than Carlisle has. He may be just strong enough…the only thing he’s not strong enough to do is stay away from her. That’s a lost cause.”

I don't understand why they would want to do that. Of course they have others to socialize with, but I don't know why anyone would want to be locked in tower for their entire existence. The Cullens do normal things like watch football, go to private islands etc.

Silvirain wrote:I don't understand why they would want to do that. Of course they have others to socialize with, but I don't know why anyone would want to be locked in tower for their entire existence. The Cullens do normal things like watch football, go to private islands etc.

I don't have the book in front of me, but I think the Romanians explained it as the result of power and arrogance, and the Romanians were affected too when they were in power. The Volturi are the only known vampires in the world who do not have to hunt, but who have others (Heidi) provide it for them. I too would find that lifestyle very boring, but then the vampire mind is very different and may well be able to find endless distraction in the consideration of immortal politics or in specks of dust drifting through beams of sunlight. Who knows? The only thing we do know is that all five of them are like that, not just the wives, so that the husbands leave the tower themselves very rarely and for the wives it is unheard of.

"It will take an amazing amount of control,” she mused. “More even than Carlisle has. He may be just strong enough…the only thing he’s not strong enough to do is stay away from her. That’s a lost cause.”